Coaches
We believe that your symposium experience and learning progression are greatly enhanced by the high level of coaches that we bring in from around the world. Of all the symposia held in the Great Lakes region, the Windy City Symposium is known for bringing in not just one or two featured coaches, but numerous top coaches from around the country and world! All of our coaches are highly respected and leaders in the sea kayaking community and hold the highest level of certifications in the ACA and BCU. The coaches that you learn from at this symposium are the ones developing new ways of teaching, writing articles in paddling magazines and expeditioning all over the world.
2009's group of coaches hail from the UK, Pacific Northwest, Southeast and the Midwest. Some of the top coaches in the world are in attendence at this symposium and include: Ben Lawry, Bryan Smith, Steve Scherrer, the "Green Team" Cheri Perry and Turner Wilson, Jen Kleck, Brian Day, Scott Fairty, Kelly Blades, Phil Clegg, Peter Jones, Jim Tibensky, Ryan Rushton, John Martin, Paul Redzimski, Bonnie Perry, Andrea Knepper, Cindy Scherrer, Alec Bloyd-Peshkin, and Derrick Mayoleth. More top coaches are being added, so check the homepage for updates.
NOTE: Coaches in blue font have confirmed their attendance for 2009.
Alec Bloyd-PeshkinIllinoisCourses: Introduction to Sea Kayaking |
Alec Bloyd-Peshkin is an ACA Open-Water instructor and BCU Coach 2 Aspirant with certifications in Wilderness First Aid and Canoe Safety. He has been kayaking for four years, has built a skin-on-frame boat, and enjoys both Euro and traditional paddling. "I was initially drawn to sea kayaking for its ability to get me close to the water in a craft that is so responsive," he says. "I love introducing new paddlers to all the pleasures of sea kayaking It's always a good day when you're kayaking."
ACA Open Water Instructor BCU Coach 2T |
|
 |
||
Kelly BladesMichiganCourses: |
Kelly Blades is one of the Midwest’s favorite kayaking instructors, famous or should we say “infamous” for his “rowdy antics” both on an off the water. Kelly has been working in the paddle sports industry for 11 years. He is the Midwest guy for P&H sea kayaks, Pyranha kayaks, Venture kayaks, Kokatat, and Snapdragon Spray Skirts. He is a pro paddler for Werner Paddles, Kokatat and NRS.
BCU Coach 4 Sea ACA Open Water Instructor |
|
|
||
Wales, UK |
Phil Clegg is one of the UK’s top paddlers and is a Sea Kayaking UK (formerly NDK or Nigel Dennis Kayaks) sponsored paddler. Phil teaches and guides at Nigel’s center in Holyhead, Wales on the Island of Anglessey. Phil has recently completed an expedition on the coast of Greenland and has also completed the first half of the circumnavigation of the island of Madagascar.
BCU Coach 5T Welsh Surf Kayak Team Member |
|
|
||
Brian DayWisconsinCourses: |
Brian Day has worked in the outdoor industry since 1991. He has experience with sea kayak expeditioning, whitewater paddling, and Boundary Waters canoe trips. His work has included time with Outward Bound, and aboard the tall ship Lady Washington. Brian is a BCU Level 3 Sea Kayak coach, a member of the P&H sea kayak team, and a frequent contributor to Sea Kayaker Magazine. BCU Coach 3 |
|
|
||
Scott FairtyChicago, ILCourses: |
Scott is a paddler who enjoys all aspects of paddlesport. While his primary focus is currently on sea kayaking, he also plays with and coaches in whitewater kayaks, open canoes both solo and tandem, surf kayaks, slalom C-1, C-2 and K-1, and pretty much anything else you propel with a paddle. He has been fortunate to have been mentored by some of the leading coaches in the U.S. and Europe and greatly enjoys mentoring other paddlers.
BCU A4 BCU 5 Star Sea Leader BCU Coach 3 Inland |
|
|
||
Anglesey, Wales, UK |
Peter Jones is a freelance instructor in North Wales, and was formerly the chief instructor at the Anglesey Sea & Surf Center. Peter is a Sea Kayaking UK (formerly NDK or Nigel Dennis Kayaks) sponsored paddler and i has several major sea kayak expeditions to his credit including Greenland, the West Coach of Canada, Nova Scotia, Israel, Holland, Spain, Ireland and the Outer Hebrides.
BCU Coach 5 Sea |
|
|
||
Andrea KnepperIllinoisCourses: TBA |
Bio Coming Soon
ACA Open Water Instructor |
|
|
||
Ben LawryGeorgiaCourses: |
With an unquenchable love of the sport, Ben enthusiastically shares his paddling experience with others. His high-energy approach mixes with his patient, on-target insight to create a one-of-a-kind learning experience. Ben has been paddling for over 30 years, and teaching for over half of that. He has taught paddling on four continents and competed on three. Presently he works as a factory rep for P&H Kayaks and is co-owner of BEAKayaking with his wife, Elizabeth. He has competed in sprint, sea kayak, slalom, rodeo, marathon canoe and kayak, outrigger, surf ski and wildwater. Ben loves learning and enjoys training with different coaches to improve his technique, expand his teaching theories and increase his understanding of paddlesports. He has been lucky enough to take coaching in various disciplines from over 10 international coaches.
ACA Advanced Sea Kayak Open Water Instructor Trainer ACA Surf Kayak Instructor Trainer Educator ACA White Water Instructor Trainer Educator ACA White Water Canoe Instructor OC-1 and OC-2 BCU L3 Inland |
|
|
||
John MartinIllinoisCourses: Dryland Rolling |
John Martin is quickly becoming one of the Midwest's most well-known sea kayaking coaches. With two articles published by Sea Kayaker and the publishing of a rescue technique developed with Paul Rezimski and Mike Agostinelli, the bow roll rescue, John is well know for his patient and precise coaching technique. BCU Coach 3 ACA Basic Coastal Kayak Instructor |
|
|
||
Derrick MayolethWisconsinCourses: |
Derrick Mayoleth is a ACA Instructor L2 from Wisconsin who runs the popular kayaking website, Kayak Quixotica which is well known for its site’s Greenland and Euro Style Rolling videos, and information on kayaking from around the world. Derrick recently completed an expedition around the island of Puerto Rico and will be presenting on the expedition at the symposium.
ACA Open Water Instructor |
|
|
||
Bonnie PerryIllinoisCourses: TBA |
Bonnie Perry has been the pastor at Chicago’s All Saints' Church since 1992. When she’s not doing church-she’s reading, writing or better yet, out on Lake Michigan paddling her kayak or at the Skokie Lagoons teaching other people how to paddle their sea kayaks. Bonnie teaches both Euro and Traditional paddling techniques and travels to teach at many of the symposia around the Midwest.
ACA Open Water Instructor w/Rolling Endorsement BCU Coach 3 |
|
|
||
Cheri PerryConnecticutCourses: Greenlandic Comprehensive |
A paddler for 20 years, Cheri has taught Greenland-style kayaking for six years at several national kayaking symposia, including Sea Kayak Georgia BCU Week, Sweetwater BCU Week, RI Rough Water Symposium, Delmarva Paddlers Retreat, TAKS Traditional Watercraft Symposium, Hudson River Greenland Festival, Michigan Training Camp, Mystic Seaport Arctic Boat Weekend, Barrier Island Sea Kayak Symposium, and Vermont BCU Week.
Cheri competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in both 2004 and 2005, in events ranging from rolling to individual and relay races, winning a dozen gold medals. She has won several rolling competitions in the United States and is widely regarded as one of the best Greenland-style kayak rollers in the world. She has offered demonstrations of Greenlandic kayaking techniques to many groups across the country, and she has given many presentations relating to Greenlandic kayak technique and Greenlandic culture. |
|
|
||
Paul RedzimskiIllinoisCourses: |
Bio Coming Soon ACA Open Water Instructor BCU Coach 3 |
|
|
||
Ryan RushtonIllinoisCourses: |
Ryan has made it a priority to spend as much time on the water as life allows and began his paddling “career” at the ripe old age of two, floating in his PFD next to his parents’ canoe on a trip down the Wisconsin River. His first paddling addiction came in the form of whitewater paddling in open canoes on wilderness rivers in Northern Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula and Northern Ontario before getting exposure to his next addiction – whitewater kayaking. After spending a few years paddling primarily whitewater kayaks, Ryan got “hooked” on sea kayaking during his first encounter with rough seas and open water on the coast of Virginia. His love of the water and particularly open water has led him to take and guide many expeditions around the coastal US and recently the UK. Ryan is the owner of the Geneva Kayak Center.
BCU 5 Star Sea Leader ACA Open Water Instructor Trainer ACA Advanced Open Water Instructor ACA Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Instructor |
|
|
||
Oregon |
Cindy has been paddling for 20+ years in all kinds of boats including, whitewater kayaks, squirt boats, surf kayaks, sea kayaks and canoes. She’s paddled competitively for 14 years in outrigger and dragonboat. She was Co-founder and owner of Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe for 19 years. As a member of the Shellbacks paddling team she has a tremendous amount experience in Pacific Coastal and Columbia River paddling. She enjoys helping women develop the mental and physical strength necessary to paddle well in challenging conditions.
ACA Open Water Instructor BCU 3 Star Award |
|
|
||
Oregon |
Steve Scherrer is a multi-discipline Kayak Instructor, kayak designer, guitar picker and former paddlesports retailer. He started paddling boats as a boy scout and never got over it. He is the co-designer of the Wilderness Systems Tempest family of sea kayaks and works as a product developer/designer and educator for Confluence Watersports. He was the co-founder and co-owner of Alder Creek Canoe and Kayak. He is invited to paddlesports events all over the country to speak on kayak design, Instructional theory and paddling destinations.
ACA Advanced Coastal Kayak Instructor Trainer Educator ACA Advanced Whitewater Kayak Instructor Trainer Educator BCU 4 Star Award BCU Coach 2 Chair – ACA Coastal Kayak Cirriculum Committee |
|
|
||
Jim TibenskyIllinoisCourses: |
Jim Tibensky started sitting in kayaks long before kayaking entered into the consciousness of most adventurous people when he started racing in 1966. He began competing in the disciplines of sprint, marathon, wildwater and slalom before becoming a certified coach of the US Canoe and Kayak Team, coaching the US Junior Slalom Team at the US Olympic Sports Festival. From 1979-1994, Jim taught whitewater paddling at the prestigious Madawaska Kanu Centre in Ontario, one of the world’s leading schools for whitewater paddling. Jim is certified as an Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructor by the American Canoe Association and the Geneva Kayak Center feels fortunate to have a paddler of Jim’s expertise on it’s staff. ACA Open Water Instructor US Canoe and Kayak Team Coach – Slalom & Wildwater |
|
|
||
Turner WilsonConneticutCourses: Greenland Comprehensive |
A skinny sticker for 10 years, and one of those rare paddlers outside of Greenland who began paddling with same, Turner Wilson has taught Greenland-style kayaking for 8 years, at several national kayaking symposia, including Sea Kayak Georgia BCU Week, Sweetwater BCU Week, RI Rough Water Symposium, Delmarva Paddlers Retreat, TAKS Traditional Watercraft Symposium, Hudson River Greenland Festival, Michigan Training Camp, Mystic Seaport Arctic Boat Weekend, Barrier Island Sea Kayak Symposium, the Wooden Boat Show, Vermont BCU Week, and SSTIKS.
Turner competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in July of 2005, in events ranging from rolling to individual and relay races, winning 6 gold medals. He has demonstrated Greenlandic kayaking techniques from Maine to California to New Zealand. Turner has also judged several rolling competitions, always with the idea that spectators can learn just as much as the participants. He has presented several talks relating to Greenlandic kayak technique and Greenlandic culture, as well as skin on frame kayak construction, to particpants of events across the country and beyond. With previous careers in art, woodworking, and design/build residential architecture as background, Turner now builds "custom to you" Greenland-style skin on frame qajaq, paatit (greenland paddles), and norsaq (rolling sticks), to order, and provides workshops for the same purpose to individuals and groups. |
|
|
||